Paper trimmer



y 23, 1940- w. c. EICKMAN 2,208,966

PAPER TRIMMER Filed April 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l i l' I Ilia {9 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS July 23, 1940. w. c. El CKMAN PAPER TRIMMER Filed April so, 1956 4 Sh eets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1 1 4475? 6, fiC/(MHN ATTORNEY5 July 23, 1940. w, c EICKMAN I 2,208,966

PAPER TRIMMER Filed April 50, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 1144/. 7-5,? 6. fiC/VMA'A m M fi ATTORNEYS Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER. TRIMMER Walter C. Eickman, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Harrls-Seybold-Potter Company,

Cleveland.

Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1936, Serial No. 77,198

8 Claims.

and also for cutting tabs in the edges of sheets or cards.

One of the objects of the invention is the pro-' vision of a simple and sturdy mechanism for rounding two corners simultaneously, or cutting a complete tab in a single operation.

Another object is the provision of means enabling the operator to make adjustments quickly and easily for meeting requirements as to the size of tabs and their position upon the sheets, as well as to accommodate sheets of difl'erent size whose corners are to be rounded.

A further object is the provision of an oflset or extension of the work table where the cutting is performed, whereby the chips or cuttings fall free and out of the way of the operator in performing successive operations.

Still another object is to provide an improved cutting stick or board with means for adjusting it to present difierent areas to the trimming knives.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of those embodiments of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental perspective view on a larger scale, showing the machine set up for a corner trimming operation, with the cutting knives in their raised position.

Fig. 3 is a iragmental view partly in horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the table and the knife carrier with associated parts in plan.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the front gauge and its mounting.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clamp.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of one of the cutting sticks. I

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a fiber cutting plate which is adapted to be attached to the under side of the cutting stick.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the machine set up to cut tabs, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmental sectional view in vertical planes substantially on the line 93 of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the base oi the machine is shown at I. From it project upwardly table supporting legs I I, only one of which appears in Fig. 1. A work table |2 is supported upon these legs. Along one edge the table is formed with a depressed ledge l8, which is provided at regular intervals with tapped holes I! for a purpose presently to appear. A side gauge I5 is mounted for adjustment along the table, being provided with slots l6 through which extend screws H for clamping the gauge in any desired '1 position of adjustment.

Forwardly of the legs I3 there is a continuation |B of the table at a considerably lower level than the ledge |3. In this continuation of the table there are two downwardly directed bosses l9 and I.

mounted to slide in a bore formed in boss 20, being .0

held against rotation by a key 24. The lower end of this latter post also slides in an aligned opening in the base In.

At their upper ends the two posts 2| have small diameter portions 25 which project into holes in the bottom of a knife bar 28. The latter bar rests upon the shoulders formed at the juncture of the small and large diameter portions of the posts, and is held thereagainst by means of tapered pins 21 which are driven through tapered openings in the bar and posts.

The post 23, which is arranged midway between the posts 2|, carries the paper clamp 28. This clamp has a vertical smooth bore of a size to receive the upper threaded portion of the post. Collars 29 and 30 threaded upon the post may be adjusted to different heights, to vary the position of the clamp upon the post, and then turned into tight engagement with the clamp so as to secure it rigidly to the post.

-When the machine is actuated to effect a trimming operation, the post 23 is caused to descend in order that the clamp may engage the top of the paper pile and in cooperation with the table firmly grip the pile. The two posts 2| are also caused to rise in order to force the trimming knives through the paper. These operations may be effected by the mechanism herein illustrated more or less diagrammatically, and comprising links 3| pivotally connected with posts 2| and links 32 pivotally connected with post 23. The opposite ends of these links are both connected pivotally with a connecting rod 33 which is pivotedat its inner end to a crank or disk 34 tight on a shaft 35. A fly-wheel 36 driven by a suitable belt 31 from a motor 38, turns freely on shaft 35. By a suitable clutch, not shown, the fly-wheel may be locked to the shaft 35 and thus the disk 34 may be caused to make one revolution from the position illustrated in Fig. 1. The first effect is to pull down the post 23, the clamp 23 being thereby caused to press firmly against the pile of paper, further rotation of disk 34 acting through connecting rod 33 and links 3| to push the posts 2| upwardly until the pivot for the connecting rod 33 is atthe 180 position, after which the movements are reversed, the knife bar and its posts 2| coming down first and the clamp 28 with its post 23 rising afterward. This operating mechanism is well known hr the art.

The knife bar 25 is of a peculiar cross section, having a vertical f rward wall and a step formation with an inclined seat 39. In the vertical Well there are two longitudinal slots 40. At a point half-way between the ends of the bar I mount on this seat a gauge rest 4|, and hold it in position by means of screws 42 extending upwardly through the bar into the rest, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The top of the rest 4| comes slightly beneath the top of the bar 25, and the latter is grooved opposite the rest 4| to bring it to the same level as the rest at that point. On this rest and the grooved portion of the knife bar I mount a front gauge 43, which has a foot that is slotted to take a pair of screws 44, one of which is threaded into the rest 4| and the other of which is threaded into the knifebar. limited adjustment of the gauge is permitted.

On opposite sides of the gauge rest the knife bar carries two knife heads 45, which are so formed as to engage the inclined seat 39 of the bar. These heads also have portions extending downwardly behind the seat 39 and engaging the vertical surface of the bar behind that seat.

A screw 45 extends through the slot 40 into the bar and is threaded into a socket in the head 45. By this means the head is held firmly in any desired position of adjustment along the bar, and is effectively held against tilting sidewise, forward or backward, thereby assuring a true vertical cut.

The inner rear corners of the heads are formed to receive the corner trimming knives 41, and attachment is effected by means of screws 43 which fit into countersunk holes in the knives. These knives project above the heads 45, and each of the latter is formed .with a downwardly and forwardly inclined surface 49 and a downwardly and laterally inclined surface 50, whereby the cuttings are deflected forwardly and laterally away from the knives and the work.

On the ledge |3 centrally I mount by means of screws 5| a U-shaped table extension 52 in a position to straddle the front gauge 43 should the latter be adjusted rearwardly to a suflicient extent. This extension is flush with the main surface of the table, and its mounting in the table is permanent in the sense that it need not be disturbed during a considerable portion or all of the life of the machine. 0n opposite sides of the central extension 5| I mount adjustably two outer extensions or form plates 53, also flush with the table. These portions of the extensions 53 which project beyond the ledge i3 are given a contour which corresponds with the contour of the knives 41, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Each of these outer extensions has a slot 54 therein which receives a pair of screws 55 threaded into adjacent holes l4. By this means the extensions 53 By this means amay be adjusted so as to just clear the knives 41 in any position of the latter.

The clamp 23 is ribbed for strength, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. It is formed centrally with an opening 56 therethrough, which is of sufflcient size to receive and easily clear the upper end of the front gauge 43. To the under side of the clamp 28 I attach two wooden cutting sticks 51, each of which is provided with four sets of holes 53, three holes to the set. In the clamp there are four slots 53 on each side of the center. Four screws 50. extend through these slots and are threaded into corresponding holes 53 of the four sets. By this means the sticks are made capable of adjustmentto a very considerable number of positions. Also the sticks may be removed and turned end for end, when a like number of adjustments may be made. In this manner the maximum use of a cutting stick is assured.

I may also attach to the cutting stick a fiber cutting plate 5| provided with three holes 52 for the reception of screws that are caused to take into three of the holes 53 in the cutting stick 51. It will be noted that these fiber plates maybe attached to either end of the cutting stick, depending upon whether the knives 41 are spaced close together or far apart. It will also be under- .stood that these plates 5| may be turned over to expose the opposite surface thereof to the action of the knives.

The foregoing description refers to the set-up of the machine for trimming the corners of sheets or cards. The set-up for trimming cards or sheets to provide tabs thereon is illustrated in Figs. 8

and 9. In such case the knife heads or blocks are shown at 54. They are considerably longer than the heads 45, and their upper surfaces slope forward only, instead of partly forward and partly sidewise. The heads 64 are mounted adjustably on a knife bar 25 in the same manner as the heads 45, except that each head is locked in position by two or three screws 55. With all three screws in use considerable adjustment of the head is possible, but by omitting-a screw at one end or the other of the head additional adjustability is possible.- The adjustment of these knife heads toward and away from each other determines the length of the tab.

Right and left hand knives 55 are attached to the heads 54 by screws 51 or the like. The inner ends of the knives are given an ogee curve, as illustrated, in order to properly form the tabs, and the heads 64 are shaped correspondingly so as to provide a rigid backing for the knives. Table extensions 68 are mounted on the ledge l3 in the same manner as the extensions 53, and these extensions 68 are shaped to correspond with the shape of the knives 55. The side gauge i5, being adjustable on the table parallel with the knives 66, serves to locate the position of the sheets or cards with respect to the tab cutters, and thereby fixes or determines the position of the tabs upon the work.

The operation of the machine, it is believed, will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction. When a particular job is to be trimmed to provide tabs or rounded corners, the knives 41 or 55, as the case may be, and the corresponding table extensions 53 or 53 are adjusted to provide the desired distance between the curved portions of the knives, and the front gauge 43 is adjusted to a position just a trifle to the rear of the forward ends of the knives. Next the side gauge I5 is brought into proper position. In the case of corner trimming this position is a trifle to the right of the adjacent edge of knife 41, as indicated in Fig. 3. In the case of tab trimming the position of the side gauge will be more or less to the left of the curved portion of the adjacent knife 66, but never beyond the left end of the knife. By the adjustment of the side gauge the tab may be cut at the left end of the sheet or card, or in the center of the same, or in any desired position between the left end and the center. The necessary length of the knives 6G is determined by the length of the sheet or card.

In the normal position of the machine parts the clamp 28 is raised to its top position and the knives are down flush with the surface of the table or slightly beneath the same, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 9. A pile of paper or cards is placed on the table and arranged against the gauges l5 and 43. When everything is in readiness the operator causes the disk 34 to rotate through one revolution which, as previously stated, results first in bringing the clamp 28 down into ermagement with the paper pile and then pushing the knives upwardly through the work against the cutting sticks. After the cut is made the knives again descend and the clamp rises. The trimmings are deflected away from the table by the sloping surfaces of the knife heads. The trimmed work is then removed and a new stack of work put in place for the next operation of the machine. Where all four corners of a sheet are to be rounded, the pile of paper is of course turned around following the first operation, so as to trim the remaining two corners.

Variations from the described structure may be employed. Accordingly I desire it to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be regarded as defined, exclusively by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description or the accompanying illustrations.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a paper trimmer, a work table, a clamp movable vertically toward and away from the table, a cutter knife normally below the level of the table and mounted to move vertically past one edge of the table for trimming a pile of paper supported upon the table, a vertical gauge for the forward edge of the paper pile arranged to one side of said knife movable vertically with the knife, said gauge being of a length sumcient to permit it to remain in pile gauging relation throughout the travel of the knife, and said clamp having a vertical opening therein into which said gauge projects.

2. In a paper trimmer, a work table. a clamp movable vertically towardand away from the table, a pair of horizontally spaced cutter knives normally below the level of the table and mounted to move vertically past one edge of the table for trimming a pile of paper supported upon the table, avertical gauge for the forward edge of the paper pile movable vertically with said knives and arranged midway between them, said gauge being of a length sufiicient to permit it to remain in pile gauging relation throughout the travel of the knives, and said clamp having a vertical opening therein into which said gauge projects.

3. In a machine of the class described, a work table, a side gauge mounted thereon, a pair of extensions for said table projecting from one edge thereof flush with the table, said extensions being adiustabie toward and away from each other, a

vertically moving knife carrier, and a pair of trimming knives of a contour approximating that of said extensions, said knives being adjustably mounted on said carrier so as to be movable toward and away from each other to correspond with the adjustments of said table extensions.

4. In a machine of the class described, a work table, a central extension flush with the table, a pair of outer'extensions also flush with the table on opposite sides of the central extension, said outer extensions being adjustable toward and away from the central extension, a vertically moving knife carrier, and a pair of trimming knives of a contour approximating that of said outer extensions, said knives being adjustably mounted on said carrier so as to be movable toward and awayfrom each other to correspond with the adjustments of said outer extensions.

5. In a machine of the class described, a work table, a side gauge mounted thereon, a fixed extension for said table projecting from one edge thereof flush with the table, a pair of table extensions arranged one on either side of said first named extension and adjustable toward and away from said first named extension, a vertically movable knifecarrier, a pair of trimming knives of a contour approximating that of said adjustable extensions, said knives being adjustably mounted on said carrier so as to be movable to- ..ward and away from each other to correspond with the adjustments of said adjustable extensions, and a vertical front gauge on the said knife carrier opposite said fixed extension projecting upwardly beyond the level of the knives to. form a gauge for the forward edge of the paper pile.

6. In a trimming machine for forming tabs on sheets, a work table, a pair of extensions flush with the table, a side gauge on the table, a vertically movable knife carrier, a pair of tab forming knives on the carrier, means for adjusting said knives and said table extensions to support the work adjacent the path of said knives, to regulate the length of the tab, and means for adjusting the side gauge to control the position of the tab on the work sheet.

7. In a paper trimmer, a knife bar having a stair step contour, the tread portion of the step being inclined downwardly in the forward direction, a knife head with a contour complementary to that of said bar mounted upon said bar, fastening means for drawing the head forwardly into tight engagement with the bar, and a knife carried by said head.

8. In a paper trimmer, a work table, a clamping element and a cutting element movable vertically toward and away from each other and toward and away from the table, said cutting element comprising a pair of horizontally spaced knives arranged to move vertically past one edge of the table for trimming a pile of paper supported upon the table, a gauge for the forward edge of the paper pile movable vertically with one of said elements and arranged midway between the knives, said gauge having a vertical dimension sufficient to permit it to remain in pile gauging relation throughout its travel, the other or said elements having a vertical opening therein for the accommodation of the gauge when said elements approach each other.

WALTER 0. mm. 

